Adjustable overhead door hinge



July 25, 1950 R. FowLER ADJUSTABLE OVERHEAD DOOR HINGE Filed Nov. 14, 1949 Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED Aswims PATENT oFFlcE 2,516,196 ADJUSTABLE ovEanEAD Doon HINGE Roscoe Fowler, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 14, 194e, semi No". 121.035.

s cnam. (c1. 11s-12s) My invention relates to overhead doors, for garages, and the like.

One of the principal objects of this invention `is to provide improvements over the overhead door construction disclosed in patent application. Serial No. 641,110, particularly in providing. what `is termed, hardware" for an overhead door, which hardware is very simple and economical of construction, durable. and which will not readily get out of order.

Another important object of this invention is to provide overhead door supporting and operating means which consists of a minimum number of parts, and yet one which is adjustable in various respects to doors of different sizes and weights. A further important object of this invention is to provide overhead garage door hardware having simple and economical means for adjustingthe tension and action of the door counterbalance spring means, and means of this -class which may .be easily and quickly adjusted.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter.. I have devised an overhead door having certain novel features of construetion, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions. as will be hereinafter described in detail, and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had ing drawings and to the characters of reference thereon. which form a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view through a door and door frame or jamb therefor, showing the door hardware or door supporting and operating mechanism at one side of the door. the door being shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof through the door and frame, but showing the former in partly open position, and showing by dotted lines the door and the supporting and operating mechanism in full open position; and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken from the inside of the door, as indicated by 3 3 of Fig. 1.

w The door or closure member, designated l, is of conventional construction and may be of any desired size. It is arranged to be closed over the opening 2'l of the frame or Iamb 2. As shown. the frame has a stop 2b at the upper portion of the opening to limit the outward or closed position of the upper end of the door or closure member.

to the accompany- At each side of the frame is mounted a dupliy cate arm and lever mechanism, shown best in Fiss. 1 and 2. Since the mechanisms are duplicates, only one will be described.

The whole mechanism is supported on the inner side of a side member 2c of the frame by a bracket II, which extends inwardly from such side member.- On the inner and upper portion of the bracketis pivotally mounted the master arm I2, such mounting being preferable at the median portion of the arm. One end of the arm, which may be referred to as the normally lower end thereof when the door is closed, is pivotally connected to the door I near the lateral edge of the doorv and substantially at the median portion between the normally upper and lower edgesof the door. Such pivotal connection is preferably made to an inwardly extending flange I3'A of a side rail Il; which is vertical position to the-innerside of the door.

On the outer side, that is, the door side, oi' the bracket Il, is also pivotally mounted one end of a'posltioning4 link I4 which consists of a pair of longitudinally adjustable link members il and Il. The extendedv end'` of the link member Il* is pivotally connected to the bracket II on an axis located downwardly from and forwardly of the axis' of the pivotal mounting of the master arm I2 on the bracket. The link members arev adjustably connected together by means off a pair of bolts I5 which extendithrough longitudinal slots Ila in one of the' link members.

The ODDQSlte end of the link It is pivotally connected to the extended end of an armor bracket I6. The opposite or inner portion of the arm or bracket I 8 is secured to the ange Il* of the rail I3. nea'r the endl theieof adjacent the normally lower edge of the The arm or bracket I6. extendingv inwardly' as it does from the inner surface' of the door. reduces the extent of travel of the door above the height of the' upper end of the frame 2. and tbusenables the apparatus to be used on garages having relatively low roofs or ceilings.

Tofacilitate free swinging of the door I, the portion II oi the bracket II, upon which the master arm I2 is mounted, is oilset towards the a door. Also the end portion of the link member Il', which is pivotally mounted on the bracket I I. is also oiIset towards the bracket so as to provide sumcient clearance for the movement of the door.

In order to facilitate the shifting of the door from the closed to the open position, and vice versa, a coil spring l1 is provided at each of the lateral sides of the door. The spring Il connects the other end portion Il, that is, the normally upper end portion of the master arm, to

secured in a normally 1 frame. comprising: a

the inner side of the lower. portion of the side member 2 of the frame, as shown'in Figs. 1 and 2. The connection of the upper end ofthe spring to the master arm is through a kicker plate II. One end of the kicker plate is pivotaliy connected by a bolt i! through one of the plurality of holes |25 in said opposite end of the master arm. The spring is attached through a hole I8* in the opposite end of the kicker plate. This kicker plate is adjustably positioned with respect to the master arm by means of a bolt 29, which extends through a slot Ilh and normally engages looly the inner edge of the master arm I 2. The slot I. extends angularly with respect to the line connecting the holes at the opposite ends of the kicker plate. With this construction the end o! the spring may be operatively connected to the end portion of the master arm at various distances inwardly from the inner edge of the latter. Such adjustment may be made by securing the bolt 2o in various positions within the slot.

Thelower end of the spring I1 may be connected in any suitable manner, such as by means of a strap 2|, to the lower portion of the side member 2 of the frame.

A stop 22 may also be provided on the jamb or side member of the trame, as indicated in Fig. 1.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious` modiilcations will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim: l v

1. A mechanism of the type described for pivotally supporting an overhead door on a door frame, comprising: a bracket for mounting to the door frame; a master arm .pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof to` said bracket; means for pivotally connecting one end of said arm to the door adjacent one edge thereof; said master arm being movable to position an intermediate portion of the door within the door frame; a link of adjustable length; a pivot pin pivotally connecting a first end of said link to said bracket at a point flxedly spaced from the pivotal mounting of said arm to said bracket:

the door frame: a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof to said bracket: means for pivotally connecting one end oi' said arm to the door adjacent one edge thereof; said master arm being movable to position an intermediate portion of the door within the door frame; a link; a pivot pin pivotally connecting a nrst end of said link to said bracket at a point ilxedly spaced from the pivotal mounting oi' said arm to said bracket; a member for attachment to the normally inner side of the door at a point downwardly displaced from the pivotal connectionbetween said arm and door; means for pivotally connecting the second end of said link to said member, said link and said member controlling the angular position of said door as it moves with and relative to said arm between open and closed positions; means for adjusting the distance from said pivot pin to the point of connection of said member to the door while the aforesaid intermediate portion of the door is within the door frame -to thereby cause the door to lie in a vertical plane within the door frame; and means including a tension spring for interconnecting the free end of said arm and the lower portion of the frame for applying an upwardly directed force to the door.

3. A mechanism of the type described for pivotally supporting an overhead Ydoor on a frame, comprising: a bracket for mounting to the frame; a master arm plvotally mounted to said bracket: means tor pivotally connecting one end of said arm to the door adjacent one edge thereof; said master arm being movable to position an intermediate portion of the door within the door frame; a link; a pivot pin pivotaliy connecting a iirst end of said link to said bracket at a point iixediy spaced below the pivotal mounting oi said arm to said bracket; a member for pivotally connecting the second end of said link to the normally inner side of the door at I a point downwardly spaced from the pivotal conmeans for pivotally connecting the second end of said link to the normally inner side of the door at a point downwardly spaced from the pivotal connection between said arm and door, said link controlling the angular position of said door as it moves with and relative to said arm between open and closed positions; means for adjusting the length of said link while the aforesaid intermediate portion of the door is within the door frame to thereby cause the door to lie in a vertical plane within the door trame; and means including a tension spring for interconnecting the free end of said arm and the lower portion of the door frame for applying an upwardly directed 'force to the door.

2. A mechanism oi the type described for pivotally supporting an overhead door on a door bracket for mounting to nection between said arm and door. said link and said member controlling the angular position of said door as it moves with and relative to said arm between open and closed positions; means for adjusting the length of said link while the aforesaid intermediate portion of the door is within the door frame to thereby cause the door to lie in a vertical plane within the door frame.

ROBCOE FOWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the u ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

